Stress affects many things in our life such as mood and emotional resilience. Stress can also affect our digestion. Most of us recognize the feeling of having an upset stomach when we are anxious, and stress has even been linked to more serious gastrointestinal conditions such as peptic ulcers.

Most of us are feeling extra stress lately, and this may contribute to digestive health issues. Luckily, we can aid a stressed digestive system with foods, water, and exercise! Registered Dietitian Heather Feldmann has 5 recommendations for foods you can eat, and habits to adopt to fight nausea, changes in bowel movement frequency and motility, and stomach aches and pains.

1. Consider fibre

Fibre can aid in both constipation and diarrhea. Be sure to consult with your dietitian about the type and amount of fibre to add to your diet

Especially in cases of constipation, consider adding more fibre to your diet

Ground flaxseed is a good source of fibre. To consume, you can just mix a spoonful of ground flaxseed into a glass of water, or you can add it to oatmeal or smoothies

Flaxseed is especially useful for treating constipation because it contains both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre lubricates the bowels for motility, and insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools. Ask your dietitian if increasing either type of fibre could help you